Butler County sheriff discusses COVID-19 diagnosis, symptoms and quarantine
A week after testing positive for COVID-19, Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones is now symptom-free and counting the hours to end quarantine.
“Saturday at 12:01 a.m., if I am without symptoms for three days, I am a free bird,” Jones told the Journal-News on Thursday.
Last Friday, the sheriff was in his vehicle heading home to “lockdown” after testing positive for the virus when he told the Journal-News he had tested positive.
‘Please come to Hamilton’: City urging Amtrak route expansion in Ohio, which could benefit many in Butler County
Hamilton City Council passed a resolution urging Congress to approve transportation legislation that would expand five routes in Ohio, including between Cincinnati and Chicago and from Cincinnati to Cleveland.
As the council unanimously approved the legislation Wednesday, Mayor Pat Moeller spoke his own message to Amtrak: “Please come to Hamilton, and we’ll support you.”
Hamilton, Middletown and Oxford are all hoping to get stops on routes. For Oxford and Hamilton, that route would be for the Cardinal train, which would run from Cincinnati to Indianapolis and Chicago. The Cardinal still runs through Hamilton but hasn’t stopped in the city since 2005.
Police: Bond set at $250K for man charged with felonious assault, victim in critical condition
A 51-year-old Middletown man has been charged with felonious assault after he allegedly punched and kicked a man Thursday night in a Middletown bar.
Brian Ingram was located by Middletown police Thursday night, arrested and charged, according to police.
Middletown Municipal Court Judge James Sherron set Ingram’s bond at $250,000 during this morning’s arraignment. Ingram’s preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 5, according to court records.
Police: Theft from Fairfield Twp. LA Fitness could be connected to other crimes
Credit: Provided
Credit: Provided
Fairfield Twp. police are looking for a person involved in theft and misuse of credit cards at a pair of local stores, which could be connected to other crimes in the region.
“Multiple jurisdictions have had similar problems,” said Sgt. Brandon McCroskey. “We’re still working on it, coordinating (with other departments).”
He said they’re meeting with other agencies next week “to see if anyone else has anything so we can share information about cases similar to this.”
West Chester zoning board member apologizes for political Facebook posts
The West Chester Twp. board of trustees accepted an apology from Board of Zoning Appeals member Evan Thomas this week but said his political posts on social media do not warrant his removal from public service.
Township resident Patrick Barnett asked the trusteesto oust Thomas from the voluntary board because he represents the township and allegedly posted inappropriate messages about violent acts on social media.
The Journal-News obtained posts allegedly made by Thomas prior to the riots at the U.S. Capitol that say the election was stolen. One says that “he should be tried and hung for treason,” in reference to Georgia’s secretary of state. There is also a picture of a hat that reads “Make hanging traitors great again.”
AND, for an extra sixth story of the day ...
How a scanner call turned into an I-75 trek to reach a flaming mobile home in Warren County
Credit: Nick Graham
Credit: Nick Graham
We’re often asked how our reporters and photographers do their jobs each day in some tough circumstances. Here’s an example that started with a common call on the scanner.
Journal-News photographer Nick Graham was listening to the emergency scanner in his car on Thursday when he heard a call for a fire on Interstate 75. The calls made it clear there was a large backup.
The story turned into a report on a mobile home catching fire and the multi-mile backup on I-75 South at the Ohio 123 exit starting at about 3 p.m. But how Nick got the visuals is another story.